A THREAT TO MINNESOTA’S FUTURE

 

workforce_demands.jpgOur nation and the state of Minnesota are facing a serious shortage of educated workers to meet future workforce demands.  By 2018:

  • 63 percent of jobs nationally and 70 percent in Minnesota will require a post-secondary education;
  • Nationally we’ll have produced 3 million fewer college graduates than needed to meet workforce demands;
  • Minnesota will have the second largest gap in the nation between the number of jobs requiring a post-secondary education and the number of college-educated workers.

Underlying this job gap are significant, persistent racial, gender and socioeconomic gaps in college attainment and graduation. 

  • A large percentage of Minnesota’s students of color don’t graduate from high school in 4 years much less attend or persist in college.  For example, just 41 percent of Minnesota Latinos graduated from high school in 4-years.  Of these graduates, 35 percent attended Minnesota colleges.  Only half of these graduated in 6-years.
  • Women outnumber men on Minnesota campuses.  In 2009, women made up 56 percent  of undergraduate students and 69 percent of graduate students.
  • Nationally, low-income, first generation students, regardless of gender or ethnicity, are struggling.  After 6-years, only 11 percent of low-income, first-generation students earn degrees.

While the demand for college educated workforce grows, the fasting growing segments of the population are from traditionally underperforming groups.  Of the predicted U.S. population growth of 56 million between 2000 and 2010, 46 million will be members of minority groups with the U.S. projected to be a “majority minority” country by 2050.

This threat to our economic health is a threat to the social and cultural vitality of our communities.  Vibrant, just and healthy communities are built upon educational and economic equity and strength.
 

Sources

  1. Help Wanted.  Projections for Jobs and Education Requirements through 2018.  Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.
  2. Minnesota Office of Higher Education. 
  3. Moving Beyond Access: College Success for Low-Income, First Generation Students.  The Pell Institute.